Japan is a chain of approximately 3,000 islands off the eastern coast of Asia.

Language:

Japanese

Common Religions:

Shinto; Buddhism; Confucianism; Christianity 2% (about one half of one percent of the people are Catholic)

Problems for people here:

Human interaction is quickly becoming a lost art in Japan, due to culture and the pressures of society. Many young men and women are unable to hold conversations with one another, and live increasingly isolated lives despite living amongst a sea of people in sprawling mega-cities. The spiritual implication that these issues can have is proving to be tremendous, as loneliness and pressure have driven many to suicide or alcoholism.

How PIME helps the mission here:

As there is not a high percentage of Catholics in the country, PIME finds other ways to interact with the people outside of the Church. This has taken shape in the form of youth groups to allow kids to learn how to properly interact, and to remove themselves from isolation. On a wider level, PIME has set up listening stations to allow people to talk to someone about their problems, or even just to have a human conversation, something that can sometimes be stigmatized by the culture.